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“The ledger is weird. But I don’t know who intervened from where. So I guess I’ll have to change the whole department altogether.”
With those words, Elisha recalled Rosaria’s history. 20 years ago when she returned from a war, she said she wanted to rest in the temple.
So, the temple sent Rosaria to a solitary post. She was the general manager of the temple’s treasures.
She was also responsible for managing the local monasteries in the provinces. Rosaria had a thorough character who fulfilled her job exceptionally. Such a person would have immediately noticed that the ledger was strange.
Then Lucerne spoke up. He seemed to have something on his mind.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to go to the Relic Vault once.”
Elisha also had an idea, so she spoke out in support.
“Maybe we can help.”
“You two?”
“Did you forget? At the age of fourteen, I organized all the books Rosaria-nim had. At that time, I also checked the ledger records for the Relic Vault. So I might remember something when I see it.”
***
High Priest Anton, who was in charge of the relic vault, was walking around the crypt, hiding his trembling hands. His role was to take care of the sacred objects and keep the exhibition halls tidy.
‘What can I do, I can’t break ties with Merha-nim even though things have come to this point. Is this really the last time?’
Merha was Anton’s teacher. He was raised in poverty and was entrusted to the temple after his sister got sick.
Anton grew up serving Merha. So he was the object of fear to him. This was because Merha was cruel to the priests below him and had often brutally beaten him.
Moreover, Merha held Anton’s family hostage. Because he had borrowed his sick sister’s hospital bills. At that time, Anton, whose weakness was caught, secretly manipulated the ledger several times behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, suddenly Merha’s son Marco came in and threatened Anton.
‘I know how to blame you for stealing the holy things under my father’s instructions! Let me in. Do you know who I am? I’m from the Cartier family!’
Anton wept and reluctantly let Marco in. For him, the visits of the distinguished guests were like being struck by lightning on a clear day.
“Welcome, Archbishop—Pope. And my lord, the High General,”
He greeted them politely.
***
“What is your name?”
Rosaria asked.
“My name is Anton. I work here to manage the relics.”
Elisha was familiar with Anton’s name.
‘No way… … .’
Anton was a high priest in charge of the relic storage. He was found dead several years later in the temple’s pond. He had died during a big ceremony in the temple. So it became quite a topic of discussion.
Anton wrote in his will that he stole a lot of relics because he was short of money at the time and had manipulated the ledger. And he took responsibility and committed suicide by throwing himself into a pond.
However, the relics said to have been stolen were nowhere to be found. At that time, the temple’s corruption was so severe that everyone was quiet.
Later, overhearing Jacob’s and Carola’s conversation, she learned that Merha murdered Anton after he blamed him for his crimes.
‘We think it’s too bad. Carola is so scared. You know, we heard rumors that that senior priest named Anton was induced to commit suicide by the senior priest lying to him that he would feed his whole family. He was a weak child so he was deceived. But he didn’t care about his family. Besides, we heard that his younger sister is a beauty. High Priest Merha… … . Carola can’t say things like that. Compared to High Priest Merha, my husband and I are angels.’
He was the future victim of the Cartiers. Maybe he was still involved; she didn’t know. Elisha looked at Anton and asked calmly,
“Are you okay, isn’t your complexion not good?”
“Yes? I am fine.”
Anton donned a straight face. But he was sweating like rain.
“Get away from my wife and answer me,”
Lucerne said blankly. Anton looked numb, just making eye contact with him.
“Yes— yes!”
Lucerne’s expression asked why Elisha was interested in him. She asked calmly,
“Are you in charge of the treasury book?”
“Er, the person in charge of the ledger has been away for a while to eat now. During that time, I am in charge of the … … .”
Then he was the person with access to the ledger; she was right. Elisha pondered for a moment, then she spoke indifferently:
“The person in charge of the ledger must come back soon. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Anton’s eyes changed at those words.
“Yes?”
